A Clash of Titians
by Falar
Summary: A test for many. The first dew chapters setup the foundation in one universe slowly. Will attempt to make the transition between the two seamless and interesting. Chapter 4 is now up. I am nearing a point of introducing a Star-wars perspective.
1. Discoveries

Military Calendar

2542-03-17

Unknown Planetoid, Stragnil System

Time: 06:57

"That's it?" A hushed voice quizzically quarried

"That's it," replied another voice, this one calm.

"That can't be it," the first voice didn't quite squeak.

"That's it," repeated the second.

"Nah, can't be. I mean look at it." The first voice persisted. "That can't be it."

"It is, it can, it is. Now focus. Tango Charlie is headed this way." The second voice reassured exasperatedly and brought the conversation to a momentary halt as a large, armored creature walked by, each heavy foot fall thumping, sending reverberations through the immediate area, the now silent speakers and another dozen darkly dressed, armor clad men armed with various weapons of war silently watching from the corners of their eyes, trained to avoid looking directly at whatever they stalk.

As the alien, known to those stalking it and its comrades as an Elite, and to itself as a Sangheili, slowly thumped its way around a corner and out of sight, a very quietly collected sigh went through the room. The men and women were not ready for such a confrontation just yet.

"I'm telling you," picked up the first voice, "that can't be it."

"It is. Now quiet." The second voice responded, finally putting a stop to the first speaker.

Now that the Elite had been out of sight for a few seconds, the group began slowly rising from cover and softly padding their way out of the small storage room they had been hiding in. Leaving the room provided a risk they didn't want though it was necessary to get to their destination. The floor of the room they left behind was a thick glass, the view below that of a massive humming, glowing machine powering the structure that the Troopers of Special Operations had successfully infiltrated as well as unknown within devices within and without the structure itself.

Actually infiltrating the structure itself had been much easier than anticipated, the only guess that seemed plausible to the Troopers now inside the structure was that despite years of ongoing conflict, both sides are still learning tactics from each other. Regardless of why, the soldiers now within the structure were moving quietly forward through dimly lit corridors and finding hiding places in the shadows of the wide corridors. Many storage bins and other miscellaneous odds and ends waiting to be moved providing many possible areas of concealment.

The corridors were angled down slightly, delving into the ground. When-ever they came to an intersection, they chose the left hand side whenever possible until they eventually came upon a door. The door itself was not an issue. The small patrol around the corner and closing in was. Frantically they worked on the door even while several of the black clad soldiers silently moved various objects along the walls into the corridor itself, building as much cover as they could. If a fire-fight broke out now, the mission would likely fail, but with the door on one side and the patrol on the other, it looked like another inevitability.

Just before the patrol reached the corner, the door swished open and the troopers immediately ran into the room after a very brief look to make sure it was empty. Once all of the humans were inside, the door clicked shut as the patrol rounded the corner. The Humans spread out into the room, finding any advantageous position they could that was facing the door and waited for the door to open. For minutes the door stood closed, every now and then a brief bump or scuff could be heard on the other side of the door, but nothing else happened.

Slowly the Humans relaxed and exchanged looks. A few quick words were passed between them, discussing the door. It was finally agreed that they'd move some of the larger objects in front of the door and block the way out and search for another way out. At all times three guns, two rifles and a machine-gun, were pointed at the door until the first object tipped and fell over in front of the door and the first object was pushed in front of the that and pushed against the first object until it rested at an angle, the top pushed against the top of the door. With the door finally blocked the Humans relaxed further and turned from the door to investigate the room.

Not overly large, the room was longer than it was wide, with two raised platforms on either side while the middle was flat, under each platform was a series of doors and most disturbing of all, faded blood stains and several bones. At the far end of the room the soldiers gathered around a nearly full skeleton of what clearly once had been a human in an odd suit of armor and a bulky rifle-like weapon nearby.

"Shit," one of the troopers said.

"This is crazy, what do we do now?" A second trooper asked.

"Tag it and bag it. We'll take it with us. Even if the mission feels, command needs to see this." Responded a third. The others nodded and set about tagging and bagging the odd form, taking the time to discover how to remove the suit from the skeleton to bag each piece separately.

Finally ready, each human carrying a piece of the suit and the leader carrying the new weapon, the Troopers of Special Operations explored the room, tagging anything that looked interesting and picking up several other odd items before finding an unlocked door and exiting the room, and found themselves where they needed to be.


	2. Break-throughs

Military Calendar

YYYY-MM-DD

City,Region,Planet,System

Time: 00:00

"Out-standing. Look at this here!" Exclaimed one of a half dozen people in a cool, brightly lit room. One side of the room had a large two way window, allowing individuals outside to observe whatever happens within the room undisturbed while simultaneously keeping them out of the way. The fact that anyone with access to one side of the window had not only access to the other, but the authority to get in the way regardless of what may be said.

All that considered, there were only three people observing the half-dozen scientific team members rushing from one piece of equipment to another and had no intention of interfering. In fact, the senior most of the group was quite amused at the way these usually very serious, solemn individuals broke down to their most childish aspects when let loose in a room filled with unknown technology that was supposedly developed by and for humans.

Though not the first team to be given very tight access to the suit of armor, a rifle and several other curious devices, it was perhaps the most enthusiastic. While in the hands of the scientific and military community for a few short months, advances were already being made in a number of fields applicable to most ways of life. The rifle itself capable of firing beams of energy, utilizing particles of energy. Testing had already revealed that the weapon was quite effective against shields as well as flesh. The weapon had been studied so much that prototype copies were already being assembled and further testing was well under-way for larger versions. If a ship-board cannon could be constructed, mounted and successfully fired against Covenant cruisers, humanity might just stand a chance of not just surviving, but pushing the genocidal aliens back into deep space.

The suit of armor itself was another great discovery, though it appears that most functions were already incorporated into the Spartan Program, the materials used to make the armor plates were unknown and many teams were working on duplicating the materials. While superior in some ways to Orbital Shock Drop Trooper armor, it was severely inferior in other ways. It wouldn't matter. The technology within the suit itself was being studied, copied and incorporated into other projects improving them sufficiently enough that ordinary marines could now take more punishment and still come out alive.

The grenades that had been discovered near the suit were also proving to be a very useful find. The thermal detonation of one in a test room had proven to be very promising, prompting the very careful dismantling of the remaining explosive to discover how to make them. Unsurprisingly the utility belt wasn't very innovative, nor advanced.

"They're quite excited," commented one of the observers.

"Yes. Quite," responded another.

"At least they're happy. Maybe they'll discover something the others haven't. As it is, what we've learned so far has given us a technological boost. We've already added several features from the suit to the new Spartan five armor," the senior of the group told the other two.

"Already? We're not even sure how the current systems will respond to the new systems." The second spoke.

"The systems are currently responding just fine. We still have time before the Spartans get them. By then we should have all the bugs worked out. Its the beam from the weapon I'm more interested in." The senior responded.

"Yes, that technology is very interesting. I'd love to meet who-ever came up with it and didn't share it with the rest of us," the first commented.

"Wouldn't we all?" The senior asked.

The other two observers didn't respond, as if the question was a signal to end all conversation as they watched the scientists discover all sorts of interesting things all over again.


	3. Rebalanced Scales

Military Calendar

2545-07-12

Geriath System, Space over Geriath Colony

Time: 03:56

"Grand Tiger is hit!"

"Indivisible Freedom has gone silent. Oh god, they're heading right at that Cruiser."

"Goliath Intent reports its in position and preparing to fire with thirty percent escort losses."

"They're powering up."

"Look at that! Covenant Assault Carrier is knocked out!"

Captain Jared Sinellius sat in his captain's chair, in a calm sitting position despite the raging destruction and loss of life happening around him. In a decision to test some new rushed weapon, command had assembled a fleet and sent it out to reclaim a recently lost colony. What the new weapon aboard the Goliath Intent just did to the large covenant vessel had just demonstrated the power of this new weapon. It had punched right through the shields and exploded. The following MAC barrage had punched through the armor and one of those shots seemed to have hit something vital. The whole Carrier had suffered a momentary power outage and all weapons fire from it had ceased.

While knocked out, it was still a threat and could come back at any time. Even as Jared listened to the incesant reports coming to his ears as his ship was blasted around him, he watched the Goliath Intent power up the cannon and fire another shot directly into the now damaged assault carrier. The ball of energy, more closely resembling a bolt of energy, punched through the armor like it was nothing and hit something inside, exploding.

"She's breaking up! Assault Carrier is confirmed KIA. Covenant fleet is converging on Goliath Intent."

A crew-man all but shouted over the cacophony of other voices and explosions.

"Acknowledged. Fire main canon, lets show these bastards that the Intent isn't the only one with a new toy. Hit them hard," Jared Sinellius commanded then bared his teeth as his ship shuddered for a different reason, its own...bolt followed by several MAC rounds. Smashing into a nearby Covenant Cruiser, the bolt blew a chunk out of the ship before the MAC rounds reached their target and finished the job.

All around, Covenant ships were discovering that the Humans now had a new weapon capable of immense damage and had it in greater numbers than expected. The odds of victory were increasingly shrinking as the small human fleet began destroying more covenant ships for far less losses than they ever had before.

"Covenant fleet is disintegrating. They're in full retreat."

"After them. Make them remember us." The Captain grinned as he received a growl of anticipation to his words. For far too long had humanity been on the run with loss after loss. A change of pace was in the air. Humanity was finally going to get its own back and make this threat to human life suffer for the crimes it had committed against an entire species. The war had gone on for so long that nearly everyone had lost someone they knew to the effort. The would would still go on for many years to come, and many more would be lost. But now Humanity had a weapon capable of evening the odds. A weapon capable of stopping the Covenant juggernaut bearing down on Earth and her colonies.

Captain Jared Sinellius grinned maliciously. If any juggernaut deserved to be stopped and stripped of its unstoppable power, it was the alien scum that had done so much to humanity. "For Earth boys and girls. For Earth," He whispered to himself, the silent words heard by those closest. The atmosphere on the command deck turned from victorious triumph to vicious retribution.

Military Calendar

2545-07-12

Geriath Northern Great Forest, Geriath Colony

Time: 03:56

"I can't believe it, the fleet won. They're leaving!" Brian Hennedy's head whipped up as the headset near-by crackled to life. He stared at it in incomprehensive awe for several seconds before finally blinking, a large intake of air filling his lungs. "My god in. Is it true?" He exclaimed silently to himself before grabbing the head set.

"This is Lieutenant Hennedy, four-oh-seventh C-O. Say again? I repeat, say again," He was speaking before the headset was settled over his head. "We won, those alien bastards are warping out L.T. Fleet says they're launching birds now. They want to know where you want them sir?" The voice on the headset was crystal clear and Hennedy had a difficult time running what he just heard through his head again.

The fighting wasn't a waste.

Not only has the new armor saved more lives, but now the navy had some weapon that apparently evened the odds, or at least came close to it.

He was stalling while being offered reinforcements, ammunition and supplies and he knew better.

"Send them to grid bravo- niner- niner- oscar- charlie- three- three- seven- two, they'll be a welcome sight when they arrive. I need two of those birds at Kilo- seven- Victor for SAR."

"Affirmative, Bravo- niner- niner- oscar- charlie- three- three- seven- two and two bird to kilo- seven- victor for search and rescue operations. We'll find 'em sir."

"I know. Out." Brian Hennedy, Lieutenant commanding officer of the four hundred seventh Marine Division sighed and set the headset down and looked around at the remains of his division. Roughly seventy were all that remained that he knew of, maybe more, maybe less. It was a hard battle he had on his hands but he fought it and he had held out until it appeared he was going to be punched out. Fortunately for him and the few survivors the navy pulled through. Fortunately for the dead it wasn't all in vain. Not yet.


	4. A New Threat

**A/N:** I apologize for the very long wait. I've been trying to come up with ways to smoothly integrate the Star-Wars universe and its environs while trying to come up with a suitable perspective. This process might take a bit more time but I think I've almost got it. That said, please enjoy this next chapter.

Military Calendar

2549-05-17

Hyterio, Jorrin System.

Time: 20:32

James Yarland held on tightly as the compartment shook from the oxygen being violently vented into space. All around him others did the same. Too few others. The explosion had torn through half of the compartment and had engulfed a full third of the people in it. The remaining two thirds had had no time to react as the explosion was sucked away, taking the burnt bodies, some still shrieking their final seconds away, and James, along with nearly half of the shocked survivors barely managed to grab onto any protrusion or other hand-hold before the force of the venting pulled them into the dark depths of space.

Eyes closed, arms straining, stomach cramping, James slowly pulled himself closer to his hands and slowly rose one hand and pushed it against the flow of air to a larger, more secure handhold. It was like trying to push through a strong stream of water. What felt like minutes later his fingers finally curled around the bar in a tight grip and he began to pull with that arm, releasing his old hand-hold and fulling grasping the new one.

The metal below him shook as the ship took another hit, causing him to bounce off of the metal of the corridor and nearly lose his grip. As his body began to come against the wall again, the pressure cut off as the blast doors finally sealed behind him, cutting off the open compartment. Rather than hitting the wall, James crashed into the floor below him. Staggering to his feet proved to be more difficult than it should have been as the strain of holding on let itself be known.

"Boarders in the aft. They're heading towards engineering, Go through section C-12 through the armory. Sounds like something new on the way too so watch yourselves." James sighed against the front of his helmeted suit and jogged out of the compartment with the rest of the few remaining marines, leaving the few naval-crewmen to their own duties.

In a blur of turns and long runs, James slowed his pace as he rounded the last corner to the armory. The movement inside was, to uninitiated eyes, chaos. To him it was orderly if a bit frantic and he dove in, grabbing a BR55C Battle Rifle and a dozen mags. Much like the initial Battle Rifle design it fired in bursts of three and unlike the initial design, it fired bolts of energy from a second barrel just below the first. It was a bulkier design but it was smooth and streamlined for quick, tactical engagements.

In addition to mags, the rifle also came with several battery packs. Throughout the ship were small ports to recharge spent packs just in case of an emergency- which this quickly appeared to be turning into. In addition to his weapon and ammunition, James quickly donned his battle rig, a simple harness with a number of pouches and straps that was padded and provided extra armor over his suit's built in armor for the chest and back area.

Finished arming himself, James quickly left the armory, grabbing a handful of grenades on the way out. He was a part of a small stream of marines running to the defense of engineering. His comms clicked and the voice of his commanding officer filled his and every other marine's helmet. "They've reached engineering and are breaking through. Get your asses in there marines!"

In silent reply the marines picked up their pace and charged through the last few corridors and into engineering. On the way from the armory the marines had split into several different groups to converge on Engineering from several points rather than crowd through a single entry way. Immediately through the door of Jame's entry point, several marines had setup two mounted machine guns and were tearing into something just out of view of the door-way. Following several other marines, James ran in to support the stationary defense, immediately turning to fire into the group of...white armored humans? The sight caused James to stumble and nearly fall, but he didn't freeze up as he opened fire, one of the bullets smashing into the T shaped faceplate of one of the armored figures firing energy bolts at the marines below his position.

Catching his balance, James knelt behind the railing on the catwalk, changed firing mode and opened up with his own bolts. The first slammed into one of the figures in in the middle the force of the bolt knocking him off his feet, near the front of their line. The figures below seemed stunned to see one of their comrades to fall, though that didn't make much sense as the floor seemed to be painted white with the bodies of others. Then James saw why. He was the only one firing bolts. "Switch to bolts, it seems to spook 'em!" He yelled and continued firing.

Now the figures below were focusing on the catwalk as bolts rained down from above. The marine to Jame's immediate left cried out as a bolt hit him in the shoulder, knocking him back. Another marine quickly took his place as another pulled him back through the door. The marines below seemed to get the idea and began switching to bolts as well, tearing into the combatants that had nearly switched their focus entirely on the catwalk above.

Now their attention was split between two groups, and James could see fighting further on, indicating the others had gotten the word. The mounted guns ceased fire briefly...then their secondary tri-barrels began to spin, firing a deadly, slower hail of bolts into the hostiles below. That broke them as their numbers plummeted. Many of the white-clad figures breaking from the fighting to run. The Marines below began advancing on the now retreating force, quickly turning the defensive battle into a route and chase.

Not one to be left out of a good run, James took to the nearby stairs and joined the marines below in chasing after the fleeing combatants. Before he could get further the CO was on the comms again, reporting the enemy force was standing down and the enemy vessel was destroyed. James sighed, then looked at one of the dead soldiers at his feet. Not seeing any visible sign of being hit, James leveled his rifle at the T shaped face-plate, keeping the barrel just out of reach.

"I think we got a live one here," he said, drawing the attention of several nearby marines whom immediately leveled their weapons on the still figure. One of the marines at the marines kicked one of the legs. When he didn't react, another marine slowly stepped on the figure's hand and slowly applied his body weight. When the figure still didn't respond, James pulled his rifle up and quickly slammed the butt of it into the face-plate, breaking the glass material. The armored figure pulled his hands to his face and rolled over as James stepped back, returning the barrel of his rifle to just out of reach of the man, aimed at his head.

"We have ourselves a prisoner, he was faking death." One of the marines reported.

"Good work, keep on him, we'll get others checking the bodies." The CO responded quickly.


	5. Portents of A Dark Future

**A/N: Next Chapter will be from the Star-Wars view point. It has been requested that my chapters are larger: I will attempt to do so in the next several chapters.**

Military Calendar

2549-05-17

Reach.

Time: 02:20

"What have we learned today?" The Senior asked the other two observers as another team, this one larger than most others, rummaged through the various weapons, armor, utilities, chunks of metal and other various items.

"We've confirmed that these...men are the same as the body we had previously found. DNA tests are conclusive on it and when we let some of the prisoners see the captured tech, we had various reactions. All the ones that look alike had some form of reaction. Stanley reports that brain waves indicated some surprise, and recognition." The Left Observer responded dutifully.

"We've also confirmed that nearly every man captured is a clone." The Right Observer added.

"What about whats inside here?" The Senior asked.

"The weapons appear to be similar in design. In fact, we believe them to be an upgraded version of the original weapon. The armor is also an upgraded version of what our team had found. We're already applying what we've so far learned to prototypes. If things go as smoothly as reports indicate, we could see the new weapons and armor in production very soon." The Right Observer responded.

"The Covenant have been stalled, even pushed back a bit since the initial discovery, with these improvements, we might actually be able to push them even further." The Left Observer commented.

"Very good. I have a feeling we'll need to focus on this new enemy soon. The sooner we can get rid of the Covenant, the sooner we can focus on this new threat. The Prisoners are proving resilient to a few of our techniques, but we've got a number of them talking. If this Empire is as large, and oppressive as they say, we'll have our hands full in the next few years. Our teams need to learn everything they can about what is inside that room, including the bodies," said The Senior.

"Inform ONI that we need more super soldiers. Inform them we're willing to take the risks. Re-activate development of the spartan program. There are too few of them as it is." The junior observers shared a look behind The Senior's back. Though the project was known to few within ONI, there were some few who knew far more than ONI would like to know, and being informed that someone not only knew, but would like ONI to continue a project that had been merely maintained for years was going to twist in their craw.

"Yes sir," both of them responded.


End file.
